knoll-981-844119 The format for the USA's version of Law & Order was plagiarised from a UK series of the same name, written by GF Newman for the BBC. The UK series was offered to an American network, they rejected it, but Mr Wolf who was an executive at the network, liking the format so much, left the network and took the format with him. 20 years later, assuming all those who were in the know were dead, he showed the format to another generation of network execs and they saw the potential.British version is still better, a lot more grittier, better written with stories with a truth about the police and the legal system in the UK, the problem with the American franchise of Law & Order is the cases all end with a plea bargain, this is totally indicative of the poor legal system in the USA.

agni0504 I read all reviews and I'm happy that most of them are positive.I'm relatively new to CI and after a quick count it became clear that I saw only third of the episodes so far. I can hardly explain how much I love the series. It means Goren and Eames to me - the stories with other detectives do not interest me at all. I began to watch because of the cases, but soon Vincent D'Onofrio lured away my attention. He is such a fine and talented actor, a true artist, and his Goren is such a pleasure to watch!He is clever, funny, overwhelming, awesome..I simply adore his little mannerisms, strange movements and flexibility which made Bobby so unique.He's a gentle giant, I find him so sexy and handsome even in the later seasons when he's older and heavier. What a gorgeous man!I think Goren is one of the greatest fictional characters, just like Sherlock Holmes, whom he is based upon. Some reviews say he is irritating - if you want to see really irritating "acting", try CSI:Miami and look for red hair..My opinion is that Kate Erbe is as superb as Vincent. I do not see Eames as a mere sidekick, she is a great character and complements Goren totally. She is a smart, clever, brave cop in a tough manly environment. I like her sarcasm, the show needs that tiny amount of fun she provides. What I like the most in the Goren-Eames partnership is the deep respect they have for each other, but I'm not a shipper at all.I love every episode I saw, it is really hard to pick favs, but those with super villain Nicole Wallace are phenomenal. I really liked Art (1.2.), Jones (1.5.), Badge (1.20.), Chinoiserie (2.5.) and Prisoner (5.3.), just to mention a few.I'd like to say big thanks to all the fine actors, writers and crew who created such an amazing show.

barlock3 I am extremely saddened by the removal of Onofrio and Erbe on Law and Oder: Criminal Intent! Why are people always trying to fix something that isn't broken! That show was and is excellent with those two; especially Onofrio! Because of him, that show had a personality unlike any other TV Show. Onofrio's logic and intelligence was believable and quite mesmerizing! He and Erbe were an excellent match; she followed his lead which allowed them to believably solve cases. I don't understand why Onofrio has not won an Emmy; his persona is so unique, which makes you come back for more. His character and the unique way he plays it is not the same old warmed over stuff! I am glad these people were not killed off; hopefully the producers will come to their senses and bring them back. Again, I am extremely saddened by the removal of Onofrio and Erbe!

TheLittleSongbird I personally don't think Criminal Intent is quite as good as Law & Order, but I actually think it is better than Special Victims Unit, which has jumped the shark over the years. Still it is a very good show, that still has its solidity. It is stylishly photographed, with interesting use of locations, and the music is clever. The story lines which focus more on the psychological aspect of things than the other two shows are interesting and compelling and never simple to the point of being predictable, and the writing is witty and intelligent. And the acting in my opinion is great bringing to life the cleverest and most well-developed characters in the Law & Order set; Vincent D'Onofrio especially is wonderful as Detective Robert Goren, a character that is hard-nosed yet sensitive. Overall, a solid show that is clever and insightful with a wonderful lead character. 9/10 Bethany Cox